Locking device for gun-closures.



No. 896,636. PATENTED' AUG. 18, 1908.

I M. HERMSDORP. LOCKING DEVICE FOR GUN GLOSURES.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 4, 1908.

.UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MAX HERMSDORF, OF ESSEN-ON-THE-BUHR, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR TO FRIED. KRUPP AKTIENGESELLSGHAFT, OF ESSEN-ON-THE-RUHR, GERMANY.

LOCKING DEVICE FOR GUN-CLOSURES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 4, 1908.

Patented Aug. 18, 1908.

Serial No. 425,159.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MAx HERMSDORF, a subject of the Emperor of Germany, and a resident of Essen-on-the-Ruhr, Germany, have invented certain new and useful Im provements in Looking Devices for Gun- Closures, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to the type of wedge-closures for guns in which the opening and closing of the closure is effected by means of an operating screw mounted in the breech-block.

The invention has especially reference to a locking deviceby means of which the crank of this type of gun-closures can be secured in the position of rest.

In accordance with the invention that part of the locking device, which is adapted to engage with the locking part on the crank, is movably arranged on the breech-block in such a manner that it automatically leaves its locking position during the first part of the opening movement of the breech-block and is automatically returned to its locking position towards the end of the locking movement of the breech-block. Locking devices which act in a similar manner are known in screw closures for guns.

One embodiment of the invention and some parts of a wedgeclosure are shown in the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 being a side view of the closed closure, and Fig. 2 being a section on line 22, Fig. 1, looking from above. Figs. 3-5 are views on an enlarged scale, Fig. 3 showing a part of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 being a section on line 4-4, Fig. 1, looking from the left, and Fig. 5 being a view corresponding to Fig. 4 but showing a different relative position of the parts.

Through the medium of an operating screw B the wedge breech-block A can be displaced in the wedge-shaped opening of the breech. The operating screw is rotatably but non-slidably mounted in the breech-block and is provided with a two-armed crank E. The thread I) of the operating screw engages with a nut D (Fig. 1) embedded in the breech and extends in such a manner that a little more than one complete revolution of the operating screw is required for opening the breech, it being necessary to turn the crank E in the direction of the arrow 00 (Fig. 1) in order to open the breech.

A locking device F G serves for securing the crank E in the position which it assumes when the closure is closed. One part of the locking device is formed by a latch F which is rotatably mounted on a bolt H at the free end of one of the arms of the crank E. The latch F is provided with a nose f (Figs. 4 and 5) and is under the action of a spring f 2 which tends to hold the latch in the locking position. The nose f is provided with a locking face f and with an inclined face f A handle J, which is jointed to the crank E through the medium of the bolt H and which is provided with a stop "L serves for withdrawing the latch F from locking position. The stop i is adapted to cooperate with a stop f 3 on the latch F. The other part of the locking device is formed by a bolt G which is slidably mounted in the rim-plate a of the breech-block and in a projection a on the rim-plate a The bolt G is arranged in such a manner that it lies against the breech C of the gun-barrel when the closure is closed. WVhen the closure is being opened the bolt G can move axially from this position under the action of a spring g to such an extent that a nose g provided on the bolt G passes out of the path of the nose f of the latch F which is in the locking position. The nose 9 is provided with a locking face 9 and an inclined face 9 A screw K which is arranged in the housing for the bolt G and which engages in a groove g in the bolt, limits the axial movement of the bolt G and secures it against turning in its housing.

When the closure is closed the several parts assume the position shown in Figs. 1 to 4, and the locking device F G secures the crank E and consequently also the operating screw B against turning to open the closure. The operating screw is prevented from turning in the other direction because the breechblock lies with its rim-plate a against the breech.

To open the closure the operator takes hold of the handle J and turns it towards the gun-barrel. Through the medium of the stops i f the turning movement of the handle J is partaken of by the latch F whereby the locking face f of the nose f passes out of engagement with the locking face g of the nose of the bolt G. The crank E is thereupon turned in the direction of the arrow :0

(Fig. 1) which causes the breech-block to pass out of the breech of the gun-barrel.

When, directly after the turning movement of the crank E is started, the rim-plate a of the breech-block reaches the position shown in Fig. 5 relatively to the breech C, the bolt G is not any longer in abutment with the breech and under the action of the spring it has moved in its housing to such an extent that its nose g has passed out of the path of the nose f of the latch F, the latch being in the locking position. While the crank E is being turnedas above-mentioned more than a complete rotation of the operating screw is required for opening the closure-it is therefore not necessary to hold the latch F in the withdrawn position nor is it necessary to again withdraw the latch when, after a complete revolution of the crank, the crank-arm carrying the latch F has reached the position shown in Fig. 5 relatively to the bolt G.

The closing of the closure is effected by turning the crank E in the direction opposite to the arrow Towards the end of the closin movement of the breech-block the bolt G will be returned to locking position by coming into abutment with the breech C. When the bolt G has almost reached this position the nose f of the latch F, which is in locking position, hits with its inclined face f the inclined face g of the nose g of the bolt G. During the last part of the turnin movement of the crank E'the latch F will therefore yield to the bolt G. However, in the moment the rim-plate a has come into abutment with the breech and the bolt G has attained its locking position the nose g of the bolt G releases the latch F and the latch moves forwardly to bring its nose f under the nose g The locking device F G is then again interlocked and the closure is secured against accidental opening.

Having described the invention what is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a gun, the combination with the wedge breech-block and its operating screw having a crank, of a locking device for locking the breech-block in the closed position; said locking device consisting of two parts adapted to interlock, one of said parts being carried by the breech-block and the other being carried by the crank of the operating screw and one of the parts automatically moving out of locking position when the crank is turned to open the breech-block.

2. In a gun, the combination with the wedge breech-block and its operating screw having a crank, of a locking device for locking the breech-block in the closed position; said locking device consisting of two parts adapted to interlock, one of said parts being carried by the breech-block and the other being carried by the crank of the operating screw, and one of the parts automatically moving out of locking position when the crank is turned to open the breech-block, and automatically returning to locking position towards the end of the turning movement of the crank that closes the block.

3. In a gun, the combination with the wedge breech-block and its operating screw having a crank, of a locking member on said crank, a second locking member on the breech-block normally held interlocked with said first-named locking member to lock the breech-block in the closed position, and means whereby said second locking member is automatically moved out of locking position when the crank is turned to open the breech-block.

4. In a gun, the combination with the wedge breech-block and its operating screw having a crank, of a locking member on said crank, a second locking member on the breech-block normally abutting against a fixed part of the gun to be held thereby in interlocking engagement with said. firstnamed locking member to lock the breechblock in the closed position, and means whereby said second locking member is moved out of locking position when the crank is turned to open the breech-block and move the locking member out of abutment with said fixed part.

5. In a gun, the combination with the wedge breech-block and its operating screw having a crank, of a locking member on said crank, a second locking member mounted to slide in the breech-block and normally abutting against the breech to be held thereby in interlocking engagement with said firstnamed locking member to lock the breechblock in the closed position, andaspring acting on said second locking member to move the member out of locking position when the crank is turned to open the breech block and move said second locking member out of abutment with the breech.

The foregoing specification signed at Dusseldorf, Germany, this 21st day of January,

MAX HERMSDORF. In presence of- PETER LIEBER, VVILHELM FLASOHE. 

